Turn on Memory Integrity

Memory Integrity is the part of Windows that runs code integrity checks inside a hypervisor. Our stack sits alongside it, so it has to be running before the loader will start.

1. 1.
   Open Windows Security from the Start menu.
2. 2.
   Go to Device security, then click Core isolation details.
3. 3.
   Switch Memory integrity to On.
4. 4.
   Restart when Windows asks you to.

If Device security is missing entirely, your virtualization settings are still off in the BIOS. Go back and check VT-x and VT-d.

Windows disables the toggle when a driver already loaded on your machine is not compatible with it. It will normally name the culprit right under the switch.

1. 1.
   Read the incompatible driver list Windows shows and note the file names.
2. 2.
   Uninstall the software those drivers belong to. Old anti-cheat services, RGB and fan control utilities, virtual audio cables, screen capture tools and abandoned VPN clients are the usual offenders.
3. 3.
   Restart and try the toggle again.
4. 4.
   If a driver has no owner left, remove it with pnputil, replacing the name with the one Windows reported.

pnputil /enum-drivers
pnputil /delete-driver oem12.inf /uninstall /force

The switch showing On is not quite proof, because it only takes effect after a restart. Confirm it properly:

1. 1.
   Press Windows + R, type msinfo32 and press Enter.
2. 2.
   In System Summary, find Virtualization-based security. It should read Running.
3. 3.
   Directly below, Virtualization-based security Services Running should include Hypervisor enforced Code Integrity.

If it says Not enabled after a restart, the toggle silently reverted, which almost always means an incompatible driver came back with a software update. Work through the section above again.

That is the machine ready. Next comes the software itself.